Viv, Keidra, and Lauriean are calling it this week. Finally, some movement this episode. Mama Pope, Harrison gets a storyline, Lisa Kudrow isn’t annoying, and Fitz is STILL the worst.
VO: Holy shit. They brought it this episode. Finally.
You know what I like best about this show? When Olivia goes into operative mode. I like seeing her thinking and figuring out the stuff that she does best. And after the first few episodes where there was nothing but the Fitz mess, this is welcome for me.
KC: I’ve missed this about Scandal and I want to see more of it. Liv is supposed to be the best at what she does and lately, all we’ve seen is her make a mess of her own life and others. It’s a welcome development to see her A-game once again.
VO: I’m not surprised they went with Marcus. But I don’t think people are quite buying the whole White Hat speech, given what they know of Fitz and Olivia. What’s fun to watch is that Josie Marcus is such a Pollyanna and Olivia (even though she claims to be a white hat) is dirtying up Marcus for the presidential run, while Candy (Marcus’ sister/daughter) is undermining Olivia’s work.
LDD: I don’t trust her.
VO: I just the get feeling that she’s trying to keep her sister/mother the person that she knows best and doesn’t trust Olivia because of the tactics she’s doing. It’s not the minor leagues anymore folks — Marcus is now playing with the big leagues and that folksy charm doesn’t get you everywhere (see what happened to Sarah Palin?)
But without Olivia and Abby planting that ad, we wouldn’t have had that gorgeous, gorgeous speech from Marcus calling media and Reston out on their sexist bullshit.
LDD: It was like a feminist wet dream. I wonder what the fallout after something like that would be like if it happened in real life? Sure, there are people that abhor sexism, but don’t necessarily appreciate it being called out. Which is kinda weird.
KC: I am glad that she was the one to say it, too, because in a weird way I think she was being positioned on the show as an almost Bachmann-ish character, a bit of an airhead, and I think it was good to show that she’s very smart and self aware, if not the most polished candidate. To be a political animal is a particular skill, and its not natural for many. I think this scene shows that there’s more to her than meets the eye.
Everybody wants to hug baby!Olivia
VO: I’ve gotta say it’s nice seeing a different person cast as Maya than what everyone liked to speculate. And I think that Khandi is gonna be great (I liked her on News Radio). And I like seeing Olivia as the bookworm, lost in her own world as a kid.
LDD: I’m thrilled with the choice of Khandi as Maya. I was so very annoyed by everyone pulling out the Old Black Lady Trifecta (Phylicia Rashad, Dianne Carroll, and Lynne Whitfield). I mean, really? All these women would play Liv’s grandmother, not her mom. But it illustrates just how extremely limited our representation is in the media. But still, boo.
KC: I LOOOOVE Khandi Alexander. She’s one of my favorite TV actresses and I am really glad to see her in a really juicy role. I know Scandal fans were expecting someone older but she really is a reasonable age to be the mom of an adult. Black don’t crack and all. She will kill it, I’m sure.
VO: Augh. I really want to give baby!Olivia a hug and tell her everything is going to be OK.
KC: And she wears glasses! Yay she’s a neeerrrrrrd!
LDD: Did we just see a hint of compassion from Rowan? It certainly seemed like it. It was kind of touching. There’s a part of me that wants to believe that Rowan does love Olivia, but the republic comes first. And it takes a special kind of guy to do this kind of thing, so. Yeah. : I
VO: Weirdly, I suspect that while the republic may be Rowan’s OTP, he really did love Maya. Either that or he was just sad that this was all getting dredged up and watching the carnage that he’s wrought.
LDD: Maybe, but what did he do it? I’m guessing she was a spy herself. Possibly committing treason and they had to take her out. But why 328 other people?
VO: I was thinking about this earlier and I wonder about his answer to Olivia’s question — that he didn’t order the death of Maya. I suspect one of two things: 1) The whole thing was to fake her death (which still isn’t cool given that 328 people died — there’s tons of conspiracies about things like this — the most recent being that former Polish President Lech Kaczynski was killed by Russians who caused his plane to explode ); or 2) He didn’t give the order because he wasn’t the head of B613 at the time to give the order. I also suspect Maya was a spy or a double agent of some sort.
And speaking of B613 — Quinn’s really wanting in with them isn’t she?
Of course Charlie would show up. But the two lunatics make sense in a sick, deranged way. Huck’s not teaching her what she wants to know so if someone wants to show take you down the path you want, it’s hard to resist that temptation. But it’s also still kinda icky. And why are you interested in B613 Quinn? You saw Huck — you saw how he came out and it’s messy as hell.
KC: She is clearly trying to join B613. Cause she’s nuts.
Fitz is a lying liar and Harrison FINALLY gets backstory
VO: Gah. I love Mellie, but I do wish she’d stop calling Olivia “whore”. I get her anger, but it seems overplayed given how long everything’s been going on. But I still ship those two.
KC: “Whore” is almost like a pet name for Mellie. LOL. Honestly, I think it has more to do with Mellie being the kind of woman who can never let go of a grudge.
VO Mellie just seems to gleeful to get some gossip about other people having a shitty-ass day. Poor Mellie. Don’t go after the VP husband. He’s just not gonna give you the loving you want. Maybe a good deep dicking, but he’s not going to take care of you emotionally.
LDD: I’m curious about what Cy and Mellie come up with on this. But I also am a little concerned that she may actually get caught up and try to make ANOTHER philanderer her boo thang.
VO: KDC and I were talking about it earlier and both of us can see Mellie seducing Sally’s husband just to tank Sally’s bid for the White House, because she’s that mercenary. I have no idea how they’d do it without destroying Fitz’s career also (and for some reason EVERYDAMNBODY LOVES FITZ).
In related news — Fitz, you lying liar. Everyone can see it on your damn face.
LDD: I expected so much. He’s still the president, after all. But it makes me even more curious about Operation Remington and why that passenger plane needed to be taken down. What’s the real story when Fitz would risk losing Liv forever to keep quiet about this?
KC: Yes, finally, the stakes are high and shit’s about to do down. I am really hoping for there to be a reckoning with Fitz. he’s been coasting on his charisma for too long.
VO: Can I also say that I’m happy that Harrison finally gets a story? I actually like him and Cyrus together. It’s a good rapport that could get feisty.
KC: I said a couple of weeks ago that those two were headed for an unholy alliance of some sort and it looks like that is coming true. I hope that Harrison has a backstory that’s been worth the wait.